Season
of letter writing is back?
Freelance Journalist, Ihechukwu
Njoku, has responded to Nicolas Ibekwe's claims that TB Joshua bribed
journalist.
Read his open letter below…
Dear Nicholas,
Firstly, thanks for standing up
for your moral principles this week! I appreciate your zeal and bold resolve to
let integrity lead in your journalistic pursuits.
My name is Ihechukwu Njoku, a freelancer
currently in Lagos. Let me be honest - a brief online check will show that I am
a fan of TBJ, evidenced in my numerous write-ups about The SCOAN.
I am not however a ‘church spokesman’ as a few
people have insinuated due to the positive focus of my reports.
Before placing me in any stereotypical mould,
I am not here to declare some ‘Deuteronomy-style’ curse on your head or quote
the whole ‘touch not my anointed’ jargon as I know some other religious
fanatics (nutheads) have done. I simply wish to express my own personal
observations of this current‘bribe-saga’ in the hope that it may also help
clarify a couple of things.
I agree 100% that journalism in Nigeria is
darkened by a cloud of corruption where truth is doctored to suit the political
will of the paymasters with ‘brown envelopes’ running the show behind the
scenes. This deserves denunciation and renunciation at every available
opportunity by all who believe ‘the pen is mightier than the sword".
I would sincerely, however, paint
a different picture in the case of T.B. Joshua – based on my own personal
experiences and the principles Joshua has espoused and stood for over the
years.
I am not sure how well you know TBJ or SCOAN
but I would say first of all that it would be impromptu to use this particular
tragic incident and the church’s rather unusual reaction to it as a yardstick
to determine his integrity.
I have watched Emmanuel TV for nearly five
years and visited The SCOAN several times during this period. I was initially
very skeptical but what caught my attention was the sheer simplicity of
Joshua’s message and lifestyle. He is a fresh exception to the
‘money-mongering’ ‘private-jet-boasting’ lifestyles of most Naija men of God
today. Joshua lives simply, drives simply, dresses simply, talks simply… he is
hands-down the most humble, generous and unusual man I’ve met.
The first time I met T.B. Joshua (without him
knowing I was into a journalism and without my asking), he gave me N10,000 for
‘transport’. Where I lived only needed about N500 to get there! There was no
condition attached or surreptitious motive at play. That’s just the type of man
T.B. Joshua is – a good giver. Ask anyone who knows about SCOAN and they will
tell you the same. That’s why I termed him unusual. Such attitude is so rare to
find in Nigeria that the insinuations and connotations you arrived at in the
light of what he offered you last Sunday are completely understandable.
Don’t think I am naïve! Of course, the money
offered by Joshua to you and other journalists last week was certainly
influenced by the situation on ground. However, it does not change the truth
that this has been Joshua’s habitual practice – not only to journalists but to
anyone he meets. Don’t judge by my perception alone – ask anyone who has met
him and has not left with some form of blessing.
Besides, what facts are really there to be
‘covered up’ by this‘bribe’ in an international incident of this magnitude? The
money, either received or rejected, didn’t change the facts that the media
reported.
I could say a lot more but I’m not here to
preach. I am just positing that there is more to T.B. Joshua than could be
appreciated on a first encounter in a challenging scenario.
My candid advice is to take some time to watch
Emmanuel TV, even if you consider yourself ‘unreligious’. Watch the man, listen
to what he has to say over a significant period of time and in the light of
such, arrive at your conclusion. After all, for over 360 South Africans to take
the long journey to Lagos, ignoring the fears of Ebola and Boko Haram, show he
certainly has something worth looking at.
That’s just my two cents. God bless!
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